Do you have State / Govt Inspection garages that you could get their
opinion? This might put pressure on the dealer.
Jim Knox, 91 Dak
Toronto, Canada
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Day" <billday@otecom.net>
To: <dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 6:55 AM
Subject: DML: What do you think...
>
> Went in to get my oil changed friday at my local mech, he says my upper
> left
> ball joint(driver side) is separating from the cup(while suspended you can
> see it has alot more space then the passenger side one). So since I just
> got
> it back from the dealer witha clean bill of health, I called them up and
> the
> wanted it in monday bright and earlier, so away we go, me and the Dak,
> back
> to her caregiver.
>
> I'm in the waiting room and the service manager comes and asks me to come
> and
> show him and the alignment tech whats wrong. Well they have it suspended
> on
> a 4 post(lower a-arms in front and axle in rear) on an alignment rack. so
> he
> has the wheel off and starts prying around no movement.. well no wonder,
> its
> all under load at that position. So I explain to them how we noticed it
> and
> they don't bother checking it that way, just slaps it together and we go
> for
> a test drive.
>
> Another thing he done under there that we noticed was that the nex
> driveshafts
> weight had been hitting the exhaust, so he simply pries the exhaust away
> from
> the driveshaft(no more clunking when I hit a bump). Anyway test drive and
> of
> course no clanking. As for my squeaking he says its the hard rubber
> bushings(I think we determined that a few years ago).
>
> Anyway they give me a clean bill, say the ball-joints are solid and send
> me on
> my way.
>
> Do you think they should have checked them with the truck suspended on the
> four post or with the suspension completely loose?
>
> I am off to my local mechs to take some good 35MM pics of it and get them
> developed just in case.
>
> What is the worse thing that can happen if that upper driver ball-joint
> comes
> loose at say 65 MPH, rollover? Would it have behooved them to check it
> differently?
>
> Who do I trust. My local has been servicing vehicles for many years
> compared
> to any one of the tech in that garage. He does not do alignments or
> ball-joints so he stands to make no momey off if anyway.
>
> TIA
>
> --
>
>
> Bill Day
>
> "A rich man isn't always wealthy, he just has all the love he can give and
> ever wanted.."
> http://counter.li.org #384146 284016
>
> .
> .
> .------------------------------------------------------------------.
> | Make your plans NOW to attend the National DML Meet in Colorado! |
> | Date: July 15-23, 2006 - More info: http://meet.dakota-truck.net |
> `------------------------------------------------------------------'
>
.
.
.------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Make your plans NOW to attend the National DML Meet in Colorado! |
| Date: July 15-23, 2006 - More info: http://meet.dakota-truck.net |
`------------------------------------------------------------------'
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Mar 20 2006 - 10:38:59 EST